''Ibicella lutea'' (; syn. ''Martynia lutea, Proboscidea lutea'') is a species of flowering plant known by the common name yellow unicorn-plant. It grows in dry conditions, such as those in desert regions. It is native to

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

, but has become established as a non-native species in various semi-arid regions around the world, including

Southern Africa Southern Africa is the southernmost subregion of the African continent, south of the Congo and Tanzania. The physical location is the large part of Africa to the south of the extensive Congo River basin. Southern Africa is home to a number of ...

and the

Central Valley of California The Central Valley is a broad, elongated, flat valley that dominates the interior of California. It is wide and runs approximately from north-northwest to south-southeast, inland from and parallel to the Pacific coast of the state. It covers ...

. The plant is aromatic, with an unpleasant scent. It produces short, glandular hairs over most of its aerial surfaces and is coated in sticky resin. Insects often become stuck in the slimy exudate and die, but the plant does not have

digestive enzyme Digestive enzymes are a group of enzymes that break down polymeric macromolecules into their smaller building blocks, in order to facilitate their absorption into the cells of the body. Digestive enzymes are found in the digestive tracts of anima ...

s and does not absorb nutrients from the insects. The plant can be considered protocarnivorous, but it is not carnivorous.

References

Martyniaceae Carnivorous plants of North America Carnivorous plants of South America {{Lamiales-stub